Connecticut community receives carts through Every Bottle Back

Branford, Connecticut, residents have started receiving 96-gallon recycling carts to replace their small curbside recycling bins as part of a $140,000 investment through the beverage industry's Every Bottle Back initiative. The investment includes funds for a community outreach campaign to inform residents about best recycling practices.

Kevin Keane, interim president and CEO of American Beverage, which is based in Washington, says, “Thanks to new, larger recycling carts and an informational campaign, we hope to collect more of our 100 percent-recyclable bottles and cans, creating a more circular economy for our valuable containers.”

James B. Cosgrove, first selectman of Branford, says the program changes will give residents more room to recycle in addition to making the process easier.

"The Recycling Partnership has been excited to work with the city of Branford to make it even easier for residents to recycle," says Keysha Burton, director of community infrastructure programs at The Recycling Partnership, which is based in Washington. "The upgrade from small bins to large carts means more materials can be recovered and put back into the recycling system as feedstock for manufacturers, furthering a move towards a circular economy."

More than 28,000 Branford residents across 8,700 households will benefit from the investment, according to a news release from American Beverage. Over the next decade, the investment is expected to yield more 4 million pounds of new recyclables, including 157,560 pounds of polyethylene terephthalate plastic and 52,520 pounds of aluminum, the organization adds.

Earlier this week, American Beverage announced that Villa Park, Illinois, was selected to receive $97,500 through Every Bottle Back to improve recycling rates in the city.

Launched in 2019 by American Beverage, the Every Bottle Back initiative is a partnership featuring The Coca-Cola Co., Keurig Dr Pepper and PepsiCo that aims to improve the collection of the beverage industry's plastic bottles.